The Hindu : International : Protesters want all the power with the people

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Apr 22, 2006

International

International

Protesters want all the power with the people

Many feel the King's climbdown paves the way for more mismanagement by the political parties he ousted

DISCONTENT PERSISTS: Riot policemen in Kathmandu chasing away demonstrators demanding multiparty democracy in Nepal. At right, opposition supporters celebrate the climb-down by King Gyanendra when he agreed to cede power. - PHOTOS: AP

KATHMANDU: For many of the thousands of people walking home on Friday from massive protests after King Gyanendra announced that he was handing back power to political parties, the move was too little too late.

The King must leave

The chants still called for the King to leave the country and accused him of being a thief and murderer. Cries of ``get the funeral pyres ready for Gyanendra'' and calls for the King to flee rang out.

Along large stretches of the capital's ring road, scores of felled trees and massive burning barricades blocked the way.

Full democracy

``I want full democracy, all the power with the people,'' said Lekha Nath Bhatta, a 22-year-old employee in an export company.

Asked whether the King's latest move was enough, around 10 protesters from different backgrounds agreed with Ms. Bhatta.

The police made no effort to enforce a night curfew imposed on the crisis-ridden capital. Police vans edged through the crowds but the mob made no move to attack them.

``He has been using force against the people and he is a thief,'' said another protester.

``I am not with the political parties, [but] the King should leave,'' added the 20-year-old student.

Barricades

Groups of men, some drunk, manned the scores of barricades and roadblocks and threatened passers-by.

As people approached on motorbikes, the men would threaten violence, but when they found out that the riders were foreign journalists, they relaxed and showed the scribes a way through the blocks.

On one straight length of the road the fires stretched for kilometres ahead, in contrast to the city centre where soldiers carrying machine guns were still clearly in charge.

Ms. Bhatta said the King's climbdown paved the way for more mismanagement by the political parties he ousted when he sacked the Government and took direct control in February 2005.

``The political parties are just going to fight with one another like they used to,'' he said.

Between 1991 and February 2005, when the King sacked the Government, there were over a dozen administrations.

The takeover was needed, the monarch said, because the political parties were corrupt and failed to halt the bloody Maoist insurgency that has left at least 12,500 people dead since it began in 1996. When the King seized power, many in Nepal believed that he would bring stability and a solution to the decade-long insurgency.

Fourteen months down the line, the King's popularity is at its lowest ebb, and calls for a complete abolition of the monarchy have increased.

Protests will continue

Ms. Bhatta said the King's announcement would not prevent people coming onto the streets again Saturday. ``I think tomorrow we will protest again. All the people will go to the royal palace.''

In 1990, a massive popular movement for democracy saw hundreds killed before King Gyanendra's much more popular brother legalised political parties, paving the way for Nepal's first multiparty elections.

Opposition partiesare slated to meet Saturday.

U.N. studying

statement

A report from the United Nations said the world body was studying the King's statement. A spokesman said the U.N. would like the democratic set up to be restored soon. U.N. human rights monitors in the kingdom have reported restraint by the security forces in handling Friday's demonstrations which were comparatively peaceful. — PTI, Agencies.

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